Tech Softball: Lady Raiders fall in series finale to No. 8 Texas

AUSTIN, Texas (NEWS RELEASE) - After opening the series with two wire-to-wire contests, Texas Tech fell in the series finale to No. 8 Texas, 8-3, Sunday afternoon at Red & Charline McCombs Field.

The tale of the weekend flipped as this time it was Texas (30-5-1, 3-0 Big 12) to jump on the board first in the bottom half of the opening frame. A pair of walks put runners on first and second as Courtney Day stepped up to the plate.

Day would fly out to shallow centerfield, but a throwing error would plate the first of three runs in the inning. Reese Atwood would follow with a double to score the runner from third; however, another Tech error would allow Atwood to score as well, putting Texas up 3-0.

After a quiet second frame, the Red Raiders (26-11, 0-3 Big 12) would get a run back as a long single from Peyton Blythe would plate Ellie Bailey’s pinch runner. Bailey reached with an infield single. However, Texas would quickly retaliate with a two-run home run from Katie Cimusz in the bottom of the third.

The Longhorns would tack on one more in the fourth off a sacrifice fly before Blythe blasted a payoff pitch over the left-field wall in the top of the sixth to keep the deficit at four, 6-2. Abbie Orrick would keep the rally alive after reaching with a monster double to center and then coming around to score off an errant throw.

However, Texas would use a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth to set up the 8-3 final.

Starter Erna Carlin (2-3) suffered the loss after allowing three runs off a hit and a trio of walks in just 0.2 innings of work. Citlaly Gutierrez (10-1) earned the win after scattering a pair of earned runs in 6.0 innings of work.

Next Up

The Red Raiders will return to action in their first home Big 12 series starting Friday against Iowa State. The first pitch is set for 6 p.m.

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